Interactive multimedia assistant device with a swappable personality customizable skin

Abstract

An interactive multimedia assistant device (IMAD) includes an interactive core component (ICC) and a swappable personality customizable skin (SPCS) for performing interactive communication and control actions based on multimedia inputs. The ICC includes multimedia sensors for recognizing multimedia inputs; a storage medium for storing the multimedia inputs and media content; a controller for processing the multimedia inputs, modulating an audio output, and performing control actions based on the multimedia inputs; output devices for rendering outputs of the controller, and one or more communication interfaces for communicating with the SPCS. The SPCS is operably coupled on and activated by the ICC. The SPCS is programmed with a unique identifier that identifies a personality of the SPCS. The SPCS directs and programs behavior of the ICC based on the unique identifier, thereby allowing the ICC to assume the personality for performing interactive communication and control actions based on the multimedia inputs.

I claim: 
     
       1. An interactive multimedia assistant device for performing interactive communication and control actions based on a plurality of multimedia inputs, said interactive multimedia assistant device comprising:
 an interactive core component comprising: 
 one or more of a plurality of multimedia sensors positioned within said interactive core component for detecting, recognizing, capturing, and tracking one or more of the plurality of multimedia inputs, the plurality of multimedia inputs comprising gestures, an image input, and an audio input; 
 a non-transitory computer readable storage medium for storing the plurality of multimedia inputs and media content; 
 a controller configured to execute computer program instructions for processing the plurality of multimedia inputs received from one or more of said multimedia sensors, modulating an audio output, and performing one or more of said control actions based on said processed plurality of multimedia inputs; 
 one or more output devices operably connected to said controller for rendering outputs of said controller; and 
 one or more communication interfaces for communicating with a swappable personality customizable skin positioned on said interactive core component; and 
 said swappable personality customizable skin operably coupled on one or more configurable locations of said interactive core component, wherein said swappable personality customizable skin is programmed with a unique identifier that identifies a personality of said swappable personality customizable skin, and wherein said swappable personality customizable skin directs and programs behavior of said interactive core component based on said unique identifier communicated to said interactive core component by said swappable personality customizable skin via one of said one or more communication interfaces, thereby allowing said interactive core component to assume said personality of said swappable personality customizable skin for performing said interactive communication and said control actions based on the plurality of multimedia inputs. 
 
     
     
       2. The interactive multimedia assistant device of  claim 1 , wherein said multimedia sensors comprise:
 image sensors and gesture sensors for detecting, recognizing, capturing, and tracking said image input comprising facial features, and said gestures respectively; and 
 audio sensors for detecting said audio input. 
 
     
     
       3. The interactive multimedia assistant device of  claim 1 , wherein said interactive core component activates said swappable personality customizable skin and directs and programs behavior of said swappable personality customizable skin based on said unique identifier communicated to said interactive core component by said swappable personality customizable skin via said one of said one or more communication interfaces. 
     
     
       4. The interactive multimedia assistant device of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more interface elements positioned on said interactive core component for one or more of receiving a manual control input to control said one or more output devices, and activating one or more supplementary components positioned on said swappable personality customizable skin. 
     
     
       5. The interactive multimedia assistant device of  claim 1 , wherein said unique identifier identifies a type of said personality, a name, an appearance, and said behavior of said swappable personality customizable skin. 
     
     
       6. The interactive multimedia assistant device of  claim 1 , wherein said one or more output devices comprise:
 one or more output speakers for playing said stored media content and said audio input; 
 one or more light sources for indicating one of said received multimedia inputs and status of said control actions; and 
 a display screen for displaying said media content. 
 
     
     
       7. The interactive multimedia assistant device of  claim 1 , wherein said interactive core component further comprises an energy storage device for activating said multimedia sensors, said controller, said one or more output devices, and said one or more communication interfaces of said interactive core component, and for powering said swappable personality customizable skin. 
     
     
       8. The interactive multimedia assistant device of  claim 1 , wherein said interactive core component further comprises a radio frequency identification reader for emitting radio signals used for powering said swappable personality customizable skin and for reading said unique identifier of said swappable personality customizable skin. 
     
     
       9. The interactive multimedia assistant device of  claim 1 , wherein said one or more communication interfaces comprise one of wired interfaces, wireless interfaces, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
       10. The interactive multimedia assistant device of  claim 1 , wherein said control actions comprise playing said audio input based on said unique identifier of said swappable personality customizable skin, playing said media content, performing a preset function, controlling external devices, and activating and deactivating said one or more output devices based on said multimedia inputs. 
     
     
       11. The interactive multimedia assistant device of  claim 1 , wherein said interactive core component is in operable communication with a client application deployed on a user device via one or more of said one or more communication interfaces over a network, and wherein said client application renders location-based data of said user device to said interactive core component, programs functions on said interactive core component based on said multimedia inputs, updates said interactive core component, and streams said media content received from a media server to said interactive core component. 
     
     
       12. The interactive multimedia assistant device of  claim 1 , wherein said swappable personality customizable skin comprises one of a top skin piece, a bottom skin piece, and a combination thereof, and wherein said top skin piece and said bottom skin piece are operably coupled to a top end and a bottom end of said interactive core component respectively.